PARTICIPATION FEES

Contestant participation fee is $75 and should be paid online by May 1, which is the first deadline for both registering and paying of the fee. Additional participants will be accepted through May 25, but with a $25 late registration fee. Participants may acquire sponsors to cover their fee or pay it themselves.

Contestants should choose this pageant based on what grade they are in by May 1st, the month prior to the event date. There are no residential requirements to participate in the pageant.

Winners are required to participate in the upcoming Gallipolis River Rec Festival Parade and the Gallipolis in Lights Christmas Parade. Our committee will provide a parade float for the River Rec Festival Parade, but winners are responsible for providing their own transportation for the Gallipolis in Lights Parade and any other events they attend. Winners may attend other area fairs and festivals at their leisure. All winners and court members are expected to show professional, positive, and good manners at any and all events and on any social media accounts. Winners are asked to wear a nice church-style or business/business casual outfit when making appearances or riding in parades.

Winners are required to attend the following year's pageant to crown their successor.

Guest tickets for all family members and fans are required to watch the competition. Guest ticket money is used to help with the upkeep of the Ariel Opera House and additional expenses for the event. General Admission is $10 for ages 5 and up and $18 for VIP, ages 5 and up. Tickets will be available starting May 1 and can be purchased by visiting the Ariel's website or by clicking on the Guest Ticket icon at the top of this page.

AWARDS

• Based on the number of contestants in each pageant, we will award a 250th America River Rec Queen and a 2026 River Rec Queen, a 1st runner up and 2nd runner up.  Depending on the number of contestants, runners up will be determined the day of the pageant and as voted on by the contestants.

• Queens will receive a sash, crown, and custom award.

• The Queen's Court Members will receive a tiara, sash, and custom award. All other contestants will receive a participant award.

• Ms. Congeniality will receive a custom award.

• The contestant selling the most admission tickets will receive the Fan Favorite Award. Contestants need to track the number of tickets sold and report that number to the Pageant Director before the pageant begins.

 

APPEARANCE REQUIREMENTS

The Queen in each pageant is required to attend the upcoming Gallipolis River Recreation Festival and to be in the parade. Her court may ride with her in the parade.  A float will be provided for the GRRF parade. Her court is not required to attend the festival or be in the parade but is welcome to do so.  Winners are required to wear red/white/or blue dress, jump suit or cocktail of her choice for the parade.

Queens and court members should wear a church-style dress, jump suit, or cocktail dress and her crown and sash for the parade and appearances at the festival. Outfits should be age appropriate.

Queens may attend other events or parades and are responsible for arranging her own transportation and schedule.

Court members may attend other events as they choose and are responsible for arranging her own transportation and schedule. 

 

REGULATIONS

- Contestants should be in good moral standing. 

- Contestants should be professional and courteous at all times.

- Contestants should be and have always been a female.

- Contestants may not be or ever have been married.

- Contestants may not be or ever have been pregnant.

- Contestants may not have any substance abuse or be involved in or     

   found guilty of any criminal activity.

- Contestants must be accompanied by an adult to all events.

- Guests attending events with all winners should be professional and courteous

   at all times.    

- Winners are chosen based on their own merit and scores.

- Judges will be out of area judges.

- Scores will be tabulated by professional tabulators.

- Scores will not be given out.

- The pageant director or staff members reserve the right to monitor

    all winners/runners up social media accounts to ensure they are in good

    moral standing. 

- Parents and chaperones are expected to conduct themselves in a good

    moral and professional manner when attending an event with their titleholder.

- Contestants will be required to attend the Orientation, at least one of the rehearsal practices, and the finale stage rehearsal

   will have for the event. Dates are as follows:

• Monday, May 11, Orientation

• Thursday, May 21, Rehearsal

• Monday, June 1, Rehearsal

• Thursday, June 11, Finale Stage Rehearsal

 

GUEST ADMISSION TICKETS

To purchase guest tickets for the pageants in advance, click on the button below. Tickets are available for the Ms./Miss/Young Miss Gallipolis River Recreation Pageants and are a separate purchase from the Firecracker Pageants admission tickets. Pre-sale tickets must be purchased from the Ariel Opera House by clicking on the link at the top of this page. Space is limited. If space is available on the day of the pageants, you may purchase them at the Ariel's ticket box office. Tickets are required for guests ages 4 and up.